The Squidward Facial Expression Debate

[President Squidward]

We all know about my distaste for the current era of SpongeBob and how I feel they handle Squidward very poorly in terms of character and expression. Yesterday, my friend @Zombie Jaws, posted an image from the recent episode, The Ghost of Plankton, featuring a scared Squidward reacting over the top, with another goofy expression that makes him look like an ugly dumbass.

Look, I get it’s the point since that’s what the show wants to be now, or it “makes sense” due to what’s happening in the scene, but still, it just looks so unappealing, especially on a character like Squidward, who’s design already shouldn’t be touched with those expressions. Plus, these expressions on him have been done a ridiculous amount of times in this era. It’s so tiring and I feel it would just get unfunnier every time it’s done.

I also feel there’s much better ways to execute an over the top expression, but I guess it takes a lot of hard execution to make an unappealing off model expression appealing, I guess I’d just try to execute it differently or make something else the point of the joke. 

So what do you think? Do you agree this expression doesn’t do it for you or any of my other points? Or do you disagree? Comment below

- Prez, the man who’s very passionate about Squidward. I’m sorry.

[Wumbo]

it's no worse than anything else this new era of spongebob has churned out

[kev]

as a frame, it’s disturbing. when seeing it play out within context, it’s harmless. 

[Bob Carotte]

i strongly disagree cuz that face is meant to like that since squidward is so scared. their intention is not to make him look like an "ugly dumbass". the designers try their best to find a fitting face for the situation, doesn't matter if it's squidward, spongebob or sandy. 

[Steel Sponge]

You know, as someone who feels the need to point out that the recent episodes of SB make the characters overtly expressive at times as if the boarders/writers are afraid that they're not making them expressive enough, I can't argue so much against this image. Out of context, it looks unfunny, but knowing the context for it, it looks sensible enough to me.

I mean, let's just say for example if we were look at this image without knowing the context of it:

Either he looks like a dumb idiot, or he actually looks that way because he's overjoyed that SpongeBob that went missing.

Also, however bad that particular image may be, I don't think it did or will cause any damage to Squidward's character. I don't think anyone who is going to look back on that imagine will think "Yeah, that's definitely what Squidward's character is like." For sure, no one saw Squidward a different way when they saw any other goofy-looking Squidward expression from even all the way back to the series' golden era.

In the case of if the expression looked terrible in my eyes, I voted to disagree, but I am actually in-between. Like I said, my feelings towards that expression depends on the context; with it or without it.